Don’t Let The Outside Fool You, This Japanese Restaurant In Montana Is A True Hidden Gem

Montana might not seem like a Mecca for ethnic food lovers, but you might be surprised by the hidden gems you'll find in the Treasure State. Not only does Billings' Imperial Thai Cuisine have an outstanding reputation, but Bozeman is home to Watanabe, a highly underrated Japanese eatery.

You'll find Watanabe at 1234 West Main Street in Bozeman.

The exterior of the building is simple, unassuming, and easy to miss... but in this case, looks are deceiving.

The Watanabe family opened the eatery in 2006, with the goal of bringing the cuisine from Kumamoto, Japan, which is Helena's sister city, to Bozeman.

Teruo Watanabe is the chef here, bringing over 15 years of experience with him when he moved to Bozeman in 1996.

The food here is fresh, flavorful, and totally authentic.

The ingredients are often imported directly from Japan.

You're welcome to dine in or take your food to-go.

The restaurant is open Monday - Saturday for both lunch and dinner. They close at 8 p.m., though, so you'll want to get there early.

They even make authentic Japanese ramen here, and it's amazing.

This will warm you right up on a chilly day.

The next time you're in Bozeman and you see this Open sign, go inside and check it out.

There aren't many options for authentic Japanese food in the area, but with Watanabe here, you won't need them.

If you're craving ethnic food and can't make it to Bozeman anytime soon, one of these restaurants will certainly suffice.